Stop using banned food additives that can harm our kids

Artificial colours can cause serious behavioural problems -- some are even possible carcinogens -- and most are completely banned in the US and Europe. But not in Australia.

I was at a birthday party with my son recently, and when I checked the ingredients on the Allseps lolly bag handed out by the venue, I found that every colour on the list had been banned in other countries.

The stories are terrifying. Many parents say their kids were aggressive and showed ADHD-like behaviour because of the additives, and countless others -- including my own son -- become hyperactive and very unsettled when they’re exposed to these artificial colours.

There’s no reason for Allseps to keep exposing our kids to these additives when they are banned in so many other places -- and even huge supermarkets like Coles, Woolworths and Aldi are eliminating them.

Our kids deserve better protection than this. I’m asking Allseps to listen to parents like me who want their kids to grow up without this harmful additives, and stop using artificial colours in their lollies.

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Here is a list of the additives in the Lolly Pack and information on them:

102 - Tartrazine - Banned in Norway, Austria and Finland. Restricted use in Sweden and Germany.

I've just signed the following petition addressed to: Food Standards ANZ (FSANZ).

----------------Be more stringent in their 'allowance' of food colours and additives.

Children's diets are already overburdened with processed foods, sugar, salt, fats, artificial sweeteners,and a whole host of colours and additives. A recent check of a 'Lolly Pack' given out at a birthday party at an ice-skating venue, revealed every colour in the ingredients list had been banned in other, more progressive countries. I wrote to the manufacturer requesting that they use natural colours (as do other countries) even if they cost more, rather than use known carcinogens simply because FSANZ says they can. We need FSANZ to support children's diets by forcing food manufacturers to 'do the right thing'!

FSANZ have previously advised that their role is one of 'risk management'. I would say as a parent that if other countries have banned these additives, there must be risk, therefore we should also.